Your RV or motor home is a major investment. It doesn’t just represent a financial investment but also time and freedom. And so it makes sense to secure your RV. If you want to know more about the best ways to secure RV and motor homes or the best security systems for RVs we have you covered. But, one of the easiest more affordable options that can be effective at deterring criminal activity around your RV is lighting. Motion sensor lighting, also known sometimes as “scare lighting” is particularly effective. So, what are the best RV motion scare lights ?
As a security buff with security installation experience, I am aware that cost-effective deterrents can save you a ton in the long run- preventing crime before it happens. Motion sensor / scare lights are one simple deterrent worth considering for your RV.
In this article, I consider the benefits of motion / scare lighting for your RV. I look at the different types of lighting available and provide some recommendations on the best motion / scare lighting for your RV security.
What is a Scare Light?
The motion-detecting lights that are used to turn on when there is an individual outside the RV at night are sometimes called scare lights. The lights can be set to activate only during the night. And once they are triggered, they remain on for a set time period before turning off again.
There can be several settings available on scare lights. For example, turning the light off permanently or changing the activation or interval length to suit your preferences.
Why is it called a Scare Light?
The name says it all- the lights are intended to “scare” potential intruders off. If someone comes too close to your RV, or maybe animals approach to near, then the lights will trigger.
The idea is that anyone who sees the light will be scared away when it turns on. No one up to no good wants to attract attention. And criminals generally do their no-gooding under darkness.
What are some of the benefits of an RV Scare Light?
Apart from the obvious benefit of scaring off intruders, there are other benefits to scare lights. These lights can also act as safety lighting. , including the fact that they can deter intruders from considering your RV a target. These lights can be used to discourage both human and animal visitors, which is an important benefit while you’re traveling.
Additional safety lighting can also be provided by scare lights at night. They can help to illuminate your camp and make it easier for you to descend your RV steps.
These lights can sometimes be used to provide regular camp lighting. A good scare light can also help you get a discount on your insurance.
What To Look For in a Motion Sensor Scare Light for Your RV
As an RV owner, there are some important considerations when buying motion lights for your rig.
Power Source
Firstly, consider where and how the RV lights will be charged. This may impact where and how they can be installed and used.
- Battery Powered. As an RV owner, you’re familiar with how important battery-powered devices can be, and also their shortcomings. Battery-powered lights are quite popular. However, they can quickly drain the battery. So, you’ll need to to have spares on hand, or a suitable charging device.
- Solar Powered. These provide power-independence. Using solar energy means you don’t need batteries or wired power, you need a solar panel that charges the light’s internal battery. Of course, this is lighter on the wallet over time and more environmentally-friendly. Modern models are also surprisingly small and efficient. Of course, the down-side is they rely on light. With prolonged cloudy conditions, the charging may be an issue, although panel efficiency has improved a lot.
- Wire Powered. This is the most reliable option for motion lights on your RV. However, this involves physically wiring the lights to your RV’s electrical. They can be more difficult to install, and replace.
Light Color
Often buyers don’t consider light color until the light is purchased, installed and operational. Only then do they notice the hue of the light isn’t what they wanted. The color of the light can create eye strain. And of course, it can change the ambience of your whole rig, when a bright blue light triggers, or you need to have your little picnic illuminated with something a bit less harsh. A bulb with decent natural light is probably a good option, but you can find specialty bulbs to accomplish what you want.
LED, Fluorescent or Incandescent?
The quick answer? LED. LED bulbs are way more efficient than incandescent ones. They produce less heat and last longer. And they are better than florescent bulbs too. For RV scare lights, LED bulbs are a good option because they can produce more intense, brighter light.
Best Battery-Powered Scare Light
Mr. Beams MB380, 400 Lumen Version
These battery powered motion lights are great for those who would like something a bit more reliable than solar power and want a really quick installation.
These are high intensity reliable battery-powered motion lights. These use standard D-size batteries, so as long as you have some spares, you are good to go. They last a while as the drain from the LED bulbs isn’t significant. You should get a year out of them since the whole point of scare lights is that they are not on constantly anyway, just in bursts when motion triggers, or if you occasionally need them on for a while for ambient lighting.
Each light will cover a generous 400 square feet. That means the lights will trigger well before someone reaches the door to your RV.
It takes just 5 minutes to install a light. There’s no wiring of course! However, they are a little bulkier than other more compact lights.
Best Wired Motion Light
MOTION-GUARD, MG1000-450B
Lights from Motion-Guard are designed with RV use in mind. They provide bright light of 450 lumens with a colour of 6500K (white daylight). They run on your rig’s 12V power source, and are IP65 certified weather-proof.
The motion sensors are adjustable so you can tweak the sensitivity. They can pick up motion 35 feet away, which means people can get too close without being illuminated!
And with photo-sensors, they will arm when the light level drops in the evening, and then disarm, in the morning after sunrise. So there’s no need to turn them on or off.
This unit also offers battery monitoring. So, if your RV “house” battery runs below a certain threshold (11.5V) a warning light flashes to alert you. That way you could take action.
There is also EMI suppression to prevent the unit interfering with any TV or radio signals in your RV. And finally, something the manufacturers call Polarity Guard has been added, which means you don’t have to worry about the polarity of your wires when connecting.
Best Solar Powered RV Safety Light
Aootek 182 LED Solar Outdoor Motion Sensor Lights
The Aootek 182 LED Solar Outdoor Motion Sensor Lights are really good value. You purchase them in multiples as well. The ones listed above are a two-pack.
If you want to avoid wiring or the bother of charging or battery replacement, these units are excellent.
Of course, as previously mentioned, the positive side of solar can also be a drawback too. The units will struggle over periods where the amount of sunlight reaching the units is reduced, like under cloudy skies or in environments with cover (forests cover, awnings etc). With that said, make sure you install these lights with clear access to the sun. But one of the positives with these units is that, when the batteries are fully charged, they will keep the lights running for days even without sun exposure.
These units also withstand the elements well. Just be sure to wipe off the solar panels from time to time to make sure they are receiving the sunlight.
One drawback is the unreliability of the LED’s under sub-zero temperatures, especially below -20F.
The Best Camera with Motion Sensor Spotlight
Reolink Argus 3 Pro with Solar Panel
OK, so this isn’t a regular scare light. The cast of the light is more focused but does cover 33 feet. So, why not receive an alert and video footage of the motion taking place around your rig plus scare the trespassers off too? With the Reolink Argus Pro 3 you can do this and a lot more!
The Argus Pro 3 is very configurable and is smart, so it can detect people or animals. And the camera is high quality camera!
It’s easy to install, and the solar panel will keep it charged up. The weatherproof build protects it from the elements.
The nice things is, you don’t have to rely just on solar charging. You can charge the battery up with a cable. Just unmount it, charge it, and re-install it.
Having access to the camera from you smart phone is an awesome thing these days. Whether you’re bundled up inside your rig and need to see what’s going on outside, or perhaps your off on a day trip and check on your RV. The Reolink app will let you do so. Plus, there’s free 7-day rolling cloud storage of video events. This is a major deal compared to many other camera manufacturers that require subscriptions for cloud storage. And, there’s a slot for microSD cards on the camera itself, so video can be stored there too.
And, if you see anything suspect going on, you can use the two-way audio to speak through the camera or even trigger a siren to scare folks away.
The Final Score: What are the Best RV Motion Scare Lights for Your RV?
So there you have it. Motion sensor (or scare lights), are a great option to help secure your RV. When motion occurs, the lights will come on, scaring the trespasser. These are pretty affordable and they can also provide other benefits too, like lighting when you need it. Make sure you select the best option for your application. What will work best for you? Battery-powered? Wired? Or Solar-powered?
- Best solar-powered: Aootek 182 LED Solar Outdoor Motion Sensor Lights
- Best battery-powered: Mr. Beams MB380, 400 Lumen Version
- Best wired: Motion-Guard MG1000-450B
- Best Features: Reolink Argus Pro 3 with solar panel
In the final analysis, I would suggest you consider a spotlight camera like the Reolink Argus Pro 3 with solar panel. You get the best features of a scare light but also a whole host of other security benefits.
Stay Safe!